The A - Z of Bullying in Schools

ADvTECH Group • March 25, 2022

Whatever form it takes, bullying has long-term detrimental effects on all involved. Here’s what you need to know to empower your child.

South Africa’s schools are seeing more bullying than ever before, with recent studies showing that 58% of our country’s learners have experienced bullying of some form.

What’s more, the high rate of violence towards women and children in this country means that kids are not shielded from violent acts. Statistics show that many children who are identified as bullies in their schools have been exposed to violence in their homes.

It’s not a problem that is easily solved, but bullying in schools is also a problem that needs to be faced head-on by schools, parents, victims and perpetrators alike. To do this, bullying first has to be understood.

Types of bullying

Verbal and written bullying happens when things are said or written, and include name-calling, teasing, negative comments, intimidation, threatening notes, text, SMS's.

Physical bullying happens whenever a person’s body or person is hurt. This includes hitting, kicking, biting, spitting, pushing, shouldering, tripping, taking or breaking someone’s things, as well as making rude hand gestures or rolling eyes.

Social bullying is also called relational bullying as it involves hurting a person’s relationships or reputation. This includes spreading rumours about someone, embarrassing someone in public, making things up to get someone into trouble, leaving someone out on purpose, telling others not to be friends with someone, and revealing private information.

Cyberbullying is something that anyone with a cellphone is at risk of. It includes more than threatening text and SMS's – social networks, digital platforms, emails, and the like all fall under this category.

When these behaviours are bullying, they are aggressive and include two important factors:

An imbalance of power, meaning that the bully has intentionally set out to hurt and control the victim, giving them power over them.

Repetition. Bullying either happens more than once, or the behaviour has the potential to happen more than once.

Effects of bullying

While bullying in schools is a very real threat to our children, it can be something our kids don’t want to talk to us about. Look out for these signs in your child, as they can be red flags on something going on:

Has unexplained bruises, scratches or wounds.
Belongings have gone inexplicably missing or been damaged.
Your child is moody, irritable and angry without explanation.
Your child’s self-esteem drops or they feel inferior to others.
Suddenly not wanting to go to school.
Losing interest in favourite school activities.
Quality of schoolwork or academic performance suddenly decreases.
Suddenly prefers the company of adults or avoids social situations with peers.
Physical symptoms like stomach aches, headaches.
Your child talks about being anxious, depressed, or has panic attacks.
Nightmares and trouble sleeping.
Your child talks about avoiding parts of the school or neighbourhood.
Your child starts bullying others.
Behavioural problems or ‘acting out’.
Making friends with the wrong ‘crowd’.
Your child talks about suicide.

Dealing with bullying

Crawford International schools have strict no-bullying processes in place, and our Code of Conduct can be found here – bullying is not permitted or tolerated.

The most important step in dealing with bullying is to tell someone about it – whether that be a teacher, friend, parent, sibling. It has to be brought out into the open. Here are some more ways of dealing with bullying:

Firstly, always teach your child to speak out. Bullying is shameful, but they need to know they can talk to you or their teachers about it. Teach your child how to stand up for themselves assertively, without aggression or retaliation.
If your child does tell you about bullying at school, listen to them and don’t trivialise how they’re feeling or sweep it under the rug. They may be feeling embarrassed, scared, ashamed, so help them through their feelings too.
Then, tell your child you will immediately look into it and report what they have told you to the school, and then do this. Find out what happened, who was involved, how often and where it happened so you have the facts.
Don’t retaliate against the bully or their family yourself.
Always support your child and get help – find info for more resources below.
Check with your child’s school and teacher on what steps are to follow after you report the incident.
Tell your child to speak to a teacher or authority figure every day to update them on how things are going.
Always know what your child is doing, where they are, and who they’re with.
Teach your child to spend break and time before or after school in areas where there are lots of other people around.
Also teach your child to tell a teacher immediately if anyone hurts them in any way, and to get them to write it down.
It’s also a good idea to teach your child to tell someone if they see any bullying happening at school. They can do this safely, without the bully noticing.
Seek counselling to help you and your child deal with the bullying and feelings it brings up – depression and anxiety are real and nothing to be ashamed of.

However, when it comes to cyberbullying we all need to be more vigilant and equip our kids with the tools they need if they run into anything fishy on the net. We need to teach our children about the pitfalls of digital life, and the safety precautions to help protect them. The Department of Basic Education has provided schools with guidelines on social media and social networking to guide them in this area. The South African Police force also have these tips:

Make an effort to chat to your children about their online lives – know what they’re up to and talk about things openly, and set limits with technology.
Be careful who your child gives their number to and teach them not to share personal info online, especially not your full names, address, parent’s banking details, schools address and friend’s personal details.
Likewise, your children should never put something online that they wouldn’t want you or their classmates to see. They also shouldn’t post anything or send messages when they are upset or angry.
Don’t respond to cyberbullies, especially not with similar messages, threats or posts.
Save the evidence – take screenshots, save them, record the dates and times of the incidences, print out emails and messages.
Block the bully using the setting on your phone, message app, and social platforms.
Always reach out for help – you and your child don’t have to deal with bullying alone.

What if my child is the bully?

Bullying behaviour often comes from a background where there is insecurity, little parent involvement, and inconsistency in the actions of parents. Bullies are often subjected to physical punishment and emotional outbursts.

Before formal counselling is necessary, the bully must realise that his/her behaviour is always going to have negative consequences until the behaviour is changed. If you are bullying, think about how it would make you feel if people were making fun of you, harassing you or stealing your lunch money? I am sure that it would make you feel awful – afraid and alone.

You are probably already aware that what you are doing is wrong. If that is true, then take the first step to stop your behaviour. Ask yourself:

What made me start bullying?
Why do I pick on people?
How does it make me feel when I am bullying somebody?
If I want to, how do I stop?

If you are uncertain about what happens after you stop bullying, then speak to someone, a parent, a friend, a teacher, someone you trust not to judge you.

Helpful questions for the bully:

Why do you feel the need to bully others?
Do you understand that your actions are hurting someone?
What did you want to achieve?
How will you change your behaviour so that you don’t hurt anyone?

The bully must learn the following:

To accept responsibility for their behaviour.
To accept responsibility for the consequences of their actions for themselves.
To become uncomfortable (my behaviour got me into trouble and I want to avoid it next time).
To change their behaviour to stay out of trouble.
To find other ways of satisfying their needs.
To feel remorseful about the impact their actions have had.
To trust others.
To build relationships with supportive adults.

Getting help

It’s always best to chat to your child’s school the second you hear about anything that sounds like bullying happening. You can also find advice and help by reaching out to Childline by dialling 116 or reporting serious incidences to the police. In addition here are dedicated anti-bullying and anti-violence organisations like Cool2BeKind, Safer Spaces and 1000 Women Trust.

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Crawford International Class of 2025 | Building Global Leaders

By Karabo Ntsoane • January 16, 2026

The journey to building global leaders begins long before Matric year. For the Crawford International Class of 2025, it reflects three years of focused preparation, academic support and personal growth through the Crawford Matric Preparation Programme. In the 2025 Independent Examination Board National Senior Certificate examinations, Crawford International students achieved a total of 1 428 distinctions across the group. Twenty-one students recorded overall averages of 90% and above, placing them among the country’s top performers, while a further 126 students achieved averages between 80 and 89%. Among the group’s top academic performers are: Manzil Harikaran Giandev from La Lucia with 11 distinctions, including a 100% in Engineering Graphics Design Sashen Ramlal from Lonehill with 10 distinctions. Shweta Singh from Lonehill earned 9 distinctions. Dristhi Ramsumer from North Coast and Celia Wentzel from Sandton earned 9 distinctions. Sanjana Rajkaran from La Lucia earned 8 distinctions. Tayur Lushen Moodley from North Coast: 8 distinctions. Talia Govender and Keith Makadzange from Pretoria: 8 distinctions. Justin Sher and Mthokozisi Buthelezi from Sandton: 8 distinctions. Together, these students represent the highest individual academic achievements across the group. Beyond individual results, Crawford International students also earned national recognition through the IEB. Seven Commendable Achievement Awards were awarded to students ranked in the Top 5% nationally across five or more subjects. Eight Outstanding Achievement Awards were secured by students ranked in the Top 5% nationally across six or more subjects. Dr Siza Majola, Managing Director of Crawford International, shared: “Congratulations to the Matric Class of 2025. This milestone marks the culmination of years of commitment, perseverance and personal growth. You have faced challenges with resilience, embraced learning and demonstrated the determination required to succeed. As you step into the next chapter, remember that your Crawford education has equipped you with the confidence, leadership skills and values to navigate a world full of opportunity. Your achievements are also a reflection of the unwavering support of parents and teachers who walked this demanding journey with you. Their guidance and belief have played a vital role in your success. Well done, Matric Class of 2025. We are proud of all you have achieved and excited to see what lies ahead.” While these outcomes are academic in nature, Crawford International places equal value on leadership development, sport, service and collaboration. Students are encouraged to lead on the sports field, in cultural spaces, through student leadership structures and within their communities. This approach ensures that students leave school not only well prepared for tertiary study but equipped to contribute meaningfully to diverse environments. Distinctions by Campus: Crawford International Sandton College 370 distinctions Average of 3.6 distinctions per candidate Crawford International La Lucia College 316 distinctions Average of 3.19 distinctions per candidate Crawford International Pretoria College 219 distinctions Average of 2.55 distinctions per candidate Crawford International North Coast College 130 distinctions Average of 2.50 distinctions per candidate Crawford International Lonehill College 253 distinctions Average of 2.16 distinctions per candidate Crawford International Ruimsig College 140 distinctions Average of 1.75 distinctions per candidate Crawford International congratulates every student, teacher and family who contributed to this collective success. We wish the Class of 2025 the very best for the future.

Actress Roxanne Van Der Westhuizen in Crawford International alumni spotlight.

ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT: ROXANNE VAN DER WESTHUIZEN

By Neo Moshoeu • May 23, 2025

ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT: ROXANNE VAN DER WESTHUIZEN Crawford International Lonehill | Class of 2009 From the banking halls of one of South Africa’s most prestigious financial institutions to the stages and studios of New York City, Roxanne Van der Westhuizen’s story is one of courage, reinvention and the pursuit of purpose. Chasing the Calling After matriculating from Crawford International Lonehill in 2009, Roxanne was accepted into the Psychology programme at the University of Cape Town. A sudden family crisis and financial hardship brought her back to Johannesburg, where she began working to support her family. Years later, determined to finish what she started, she enrolled at Varsity College in Sandton. Balancing motherhood, full-time employment and a rigorous academic load, she earned her degree with distinction, graduating at the top of her class. Her career began at Investec Bank, where she rose through the ranks, first in client services and later in data analytics. Her success came through persistence, grit and repeated setbacks that ultimately redirected her. A moment of deep personal reflection led her to reconnect with a long-suppressed calling, storytelling through performance. In a bold leap of faith, she left her corporate life behind and relocated to New York to pursue acting. There, she studied under renowned acting coach Terry Knickerbocker, known for mentoring names such as Sam Rockwell and Daniel Craig. She was named Student of the Season at his studio. Today, Roxanne stars in stage and screen productions across the U.S., including her lead role in the upcoming film Emancipation of the Past (July 2025), and a standout performance as Regina in Not to Be Played With (available on Tubi and AppleTV). She is also developing her own series, which she plans to take to festivals and production houses. Achievements and Projects Lead role in Emancipation of the Past (2025 release) Featured in Not to Be Played With on Tubi and Apple TV Collaboration on Spicy Bob alongside Pete Simpson of Blue Man Group Student of the Season at Terry Knickerbocker Studio Creator and writer of a new series currently in development Roxanne reflects on her journey and earning one of her biggest roles yet, “this is the most difficult thing I’ve ever had to do, but also the most enriching. The vulnerability required in acting is daunting, but it connects me to myself and others in ways I never imagined. Despite the false starts and failures, I am exactly where I am meant to be.”